The present invention is directed to a concrete form assembly of panels which are spaced apart to form walls into which concrete is poured for construction purposes. More particularly, the present invention is directed to corner assemblies to support the panels.
It is known that insulated polystyrene panels may be joined together to form walls which are interconnected with bridges so that two parallel walls are formed into which concrete may be poured for construction purposes. The parent application discloses prior art related to the blocks, inserts and bridges used in the construction of walls to retain the concrete.
The prior art has habitually resorted to the use of molded polystyrene corner pieces which, unfortunately, do not have the desired rigidity, strength and dimensional stability. The expanded needs to shrink or keep over time, especially during adverse weather conditions in storage. Nor can their respective dihedral angles be quickly changed without requiring the production of new molds, which is time consuming and expensive.
During this type of construction, it has been found that the weakest structural features occur at the corners where panels are disposed at angles to one another. The internal bracing does not fully support the forces of pressure applied to the corners when concrete is poured. It is frequently necessary to provide external bracing to the corners to prevent sag, deformation, separation or blowout of ht panels at the corners.
Holman, in U.S. Pat. No. 878,000, used two sides between which concrete was poured. Corner braces were employed to connect the two sides at the corners. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,240,436, Gendron et al formed two concrete walls with a hollow space between the walls. Sheet metal corner abutments were used at the interior corners of the hollow space between the walls. Odam, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,029,082 discloses a concrete wall which is formed from inner and outer slabs which are arranged in horizontal rows. The concrete is not poured between two forming walls. Boeshart in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,916,879; 5,658,483 and 5,782,050 discloses corner ties for walls made with foampanels and concrete. The corner ties are marketed as FOLD FORM(copyright) and are sold by Fold Form, Inc., Sioux City, Iowa. The product is a molded plastic web with limited support external of the panels. The product is restricted to the dimensions provided and has no versatility to be adapted to various angles for the corner or varying spacing between the panel walls if the concrete portion of the wall is to have a greater or lesser thickness than preset in the product. A separate form is required if the corner angle or thickness of the concrete is varied. The product is disposed between two vertically abutting panels and the edges of the panels each must be provided with specially cut slots to receive straps in the product. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,235, Butler discloses a customized computer aided system which permits the floating of a foundation supporting wall and floor joists on adjustable supports. Fink in U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,477 discloses a connecting system used with boxes with connectors to form a corner.
There is a need for a versatile corner support which is usable for varying angles of corners and varying thicknesses of concrete wall. The corner support must be capable of being used with no, or only minimal, adaptation of ht panels. The corner support must provide sufficient support as to avoid the necessity for exterior bracing and to prevent sag, separation or blowout of the corner when concrete is introduced.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a corner system which is versatile and can be used with varying corner angles and varying thicknesses of concrete.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a corner system which fully supports the form panels without further aids and avoids sag, deformation, separation and blowout of the corners.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a form assembly used for concrete construction, wherein the concrete is poured between spaced-apart plastic form panels. The form panels are retained during the pouring of the concrete. The improvement is a metal corner assembly having two bent sheet metal members, an inner member and an outer member spaced apart a preselected distance. Each bent metal sheet metal member has at least one horizontal slot formed therein. The plastic form panels are received within the respective first and second metal members and retained thereby during the pouring of the concrete into the space between the respective plastic form panels. At least one receiver plate has a length, a wider end and an opposite narrower end, the narrower end having an opening therethrough. The narrower end of the at least one receiver plate is received in the at least one horizontal slot on the sheet metal member such that the opening in the narrower end extends through the plastic panel within the sheet metal member such that the at least one receiver plate is approximately perpendicular to the bent sheet metal member. The at least one receiver plate has a stop means on the wider end. At least one bridge member has a length, a bent first end and a bent opposite second end. The bent first end of the at least one bridge is received in the opening in the at least one receiver plate in the outer bent sheet metal and the second bent end of the at least one bridge member is received in the opening in the at least one receiver plate in the inner bent sheet metal member. The inner and outer sheet metal members are secured and spaced apart by the preselected distance.
In further accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a form assembly used for concrete construction, wherein the concrete is poured between spaced-apart plastic form panels. The form panels are retained during the pouring of the concrete. The improvement is a metal corner assembly having two bent sheet metal members, an inner member and an outer member spaced apart a preselected distance. Each bent metal sheet metal member has a plurality of spaced-apart horizontal slots formed therein. The plastic form panels are received within the respective first and second sheet metal members and retained thereby during the pouring of the concrete into the space between the respective plastic form panels. A plurality of right angle receivers are provided, each right angle receiver being a plate having a tapered end and an opposite end. The plate has a right angle bend between the ends. A through hole is formed in the tapered end. The tapered end is received in a respective selected horizontal slot in the sheet metal member such that the opening in the narrower end extends through the plastic panel within the sheet metal member. A bridge member has a length, a bent first end and an opposite bent second end. The bent first end of the bridge is received in the opening in the right angle receiver in the outer sheet metal member and the bent second end of the bridge is received in the opening in the right angle receiver in the inner sheet metal member such that the inner and outer sheet metal members are secured and spaced apart by the preselected distance.
In still further accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a corner assembly for concrete form panels. A rigid member has an inner face and a bend therein forming a selected dihedral angle having a first side and a second side. At least one horizontal slot is formed in the first side and at least one horizontal slot is formed in the second side. A pair of plastic panels are disposed in juxtaposition to one another within the first side and the second side of the rigid member. At least one first receiver plate passes through the at least one horizontal slot in the first side and a portion thereof projects beyond the plastic panel within the first side. At least one second receiver plate passes through the at least one horizontal slot in the second side and a portion thereof projecting beyond the plastic panel within the second side. Said projecting portions of the at least one first receiver plate and the at least one second receiver plate, each have an opening formed therein. At least one bridge has a downwardly bent first end and a downwardly bent second side. The respective ends of the at least one bridge are received in the respective openings in the at least one first receiver plate and in the at least one second receiver plate. In this manner, the plastic panels are secured within the inner face of the rigid member.
Additionally, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention there is disclosed a building structure, wherein concrete is to be poured into a form at a corner of the building structure, and wherein the form includes at least one pair of plastic panels disposed in juxtaposition to each other. The improvement is an external corner reinforcement including a pair of integrally-formed side members forming a dihedral angle therebetween. At least one of the side members of the external corner reinforcement are disposed adjacent to one of the plastic panels. Said one side member has an opening formed therein. A first receiver plate passes through said one side member and through said one plastic panel and has a portion projecting therebeyond. Said projecting portion of the receiver plate has an opening formed therein. Stop means limits the passage of the receiver plate through the said one plastic panel. The other plastic panel has a second receiver plate anchored therein. Said second receiver plate has a portion projecting beyond said other plastic panel and has an opening formed therein. A bridge has a pair of ends bent downwardly at an angle to the bridge, such that the ends of the bridges are received in the respective openings of the first and second receiver plates.
Furthermore, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a building structure, wherein concrete is to be poured into a form at a corner of the building structure, and wherein the form includes a pair of plastic panels disposed in abutting relationship transversely to each other. The improvement is an external corner reinforcement formed of bent sheet metal and including a pair of integrally-formed side members forming a dihedral angle therebetween. Each side member of the external corner reinforcement is disposed adjacent to one of the plastic panels and externally thereof. Each side member has at least one opening formed therein. A pair of retainers includes one for each plastic panel. Each retainer is inserted through a respective opening in a respective side member and through the respective plastic panel. External stop means limit the passage of the retainer through the opening in the respective side member. The retainer has a portion thereof projecting beyond the respective plastic panel. The projecting-portion of the retainer has an opening formed thereon. A bridge has a pair of ends bent downwardly at an angle to the bridge. The ends of the bridge are received in the respective openings of the receivers, thereby anchoring the external corner reinforcement to the plastic panels.
Also, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a corner assembly for concrete form panels having a pair of rigid members. One member has an inner face and a bend therein forming a selected dihedral angle. The other member is formed from a pair of submembers. The rigid members are spaced apart by a selected distance. The pair of rigid members each has a height ranging from six inches to eight feet. At least one connector is disposed along the height of the pair of rigid members only between the respective bends in the pair of rigid members. At least one concrete form panel comprises a prefabricated plastic panel juxtapositioned to each of the rigid members wherein the concrete form panels may be spaced apart a varying distance, even within a same construction, forming cavities of differing thicknesses. Concrete is disposed adjacent to each of the at least one concrete form panels. The corner assembly retains the concrete form panel without external bracing and without risk of sag, deformation, separation or blowout of the corner assembly.
Still further in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed in a form for concrete construction, the combination of two pairs of concrete form panels spaced apart a preselected distance, including an inner pair and an outer pair disposed radially therefrom. Each pair includes a pair of form panels disposed in an angular relationship with respect to each other and forming a respective dihedral angle therebetween. At least one bent sheet metal reinforcing member is disposed exteriorly of the outer pair of concrete form panels and abutting thereto, thereby forming a secure corner assembly. The concrete may be poured into the space between the two pairs of concrete form panels without risking a sag, deformation, separation or blowout of the corner assembly nor requiring external bracing thereto.
There is further disclosed a corner assembly for concrete form panels having a pair of rigid members. Each member has an inner face and a bend therein forming a selected dihedral angle. The rigid members are spaced apart by a selected distance. A foot plate is disposed at the base of the corner assembly and connected substantially perpendicularly to the corner assembly to serve as a pivot point for adjusting the corner assembly. At least one concrete panel form is juxtapositioned, and connected to each of the rigid members and concrete disposed adjacent to each of the at least one concrete form panels. The corner assembly retains the concrete form panel without external bracing and without risk of sag, deformation, separation or blowout of the corner assembly.
In another aspect there is disclosed a method of concrete construction. A plurality of form panels are provided. A corner assembly is provided having at least one member having a bend therein forming a selected dihedral angle. Two of the form panels are disposed at the selected dihedral angle with respect to one another, the form panels being juxtapositioned to the corner assembly. Concrete is disposed against the two form panels wherein the at least one member of the corner assembly is distal from the concrete and retains the form panels at the selected dihedral angle without external bracing and without risk of sag, deformation, separation or blowout of the corner assembly.
In still another aspect, there is disclosed a corner assembly for concrete form panels having a pair of flat rigid members. Each member has an inner face and a bend therein forming a selected dihedral angle. The rigid members are spaced apart by a selected distance. A bridge is disposed between the pair of rigid members. A concrete form panel is juxtapositioned to, and connected to the inner face to each of the rigid members. Concrete is disposed adjacent to each of the concrete form panels wherein the concrete avoids contact with the pair of rigid members. The corner assembly retains the concrete form panel without external bracing and without risk of sag, deformation, separation or blowout of the corner assembly.
Further in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a structure having a corner assembly for a form for the pouring of concrete, wherein with the concrete is poured between plastic panels. The improvement is a first bent rigid reinforcing plate exteriorly of and adjacent to a first set of plastic panels, a second bent rigid reinforcing plate, spaced from the first bent rigid reinforcing plate, and having a second set of plastic panels adjacent thereto. Each rigid reinforcing plate is bent at a selected dihedral angle, the bend in the rigid reinforcing plates being inserted in a same direction. The concrete is poured between the respective panels. The first and second bent rigid reinforcing plates has respective bends defining the corner assembly of the structure. A bridge has a selected length connected the first and second bent rigid reinforcing plates only at the respective bends thereof. Changing the length of the bridge, provides for adjustability between the respective first and second bent rigid reinforcing plates, and thereby the adjustability of the thickness of the concrete wall.
In yet another aspect, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a method of concrete construction. A plurality of form panels are provided. A pair of rigid members are provided; an inner member and an outer member. Each rigid member has a bend therein forming a selected dihedral angle. Each rigid member has at least one slot formed horizontally therein. A plurality of form panels are provided. Two pair of the form panels are disposed at the selected dihedral angle. One pair is juxtapositioned to the inner member and the outer pair is juxtapositioned to the outer member wherein the pairs of form panels are opposite from one another. At least two receiver plates are provided. Each receiver plate has a length, a wider end and an opposite narrower end. The narrower end of each receiver plate has an opening therethrough. At least one receiver plate is inserted in the at least one horizontal slot in the outer rigid member and through the form panel such that a portion of the narrower end of the receiver plate with the opening therein projects beyond the form panel. The step of inserting at least one receiver plate in the inner rigid member and the form panel as above is repeated. A bridge having downwardly turned ends is provided. The respective ends of the bridge are inserted into the respective openings in the projecting portions of the receiver plates. Concrete is poured between the opposing pairs of form panels and over the bridge therebetween. The concrete is allowed to set up.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide the optimum combination of plastic and metal to quickly and economically produce a variety of corner assemblies having the desired rigidity, flexibility, strength and dimensional stability consonant with relatively low cost and minimum tooling instruments.
These metal corners are quite strong, and thus the external bracing requirements are minimized if not eliminated altogether.
Moreover, contractors who are even minimally familiar with concrete construction (using the expanded forms) will readily appreciate the inherent features and advantages of the corner assemblies of the present invention without requiring demonstrations and an educational process, other substantially reducing initial marketing costs.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the enclosed drawings.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the enclosed drawings.